Thank You For Coming. Now Beat It!
Remember those little circular diagrams from science class? They had arrows that pointed the way to a never-ending circle of life. I'd like to introduce you to the Circle of Title Companies and unfortunately, will be using the same diagram.
Now I'll admit that I don't fully understand this complicated cycle but that isn't important to the story because even a child can understand what I'm about to tell you and any child can tell you it's wrong. Title companies are big business in America - and abroad, now that they've begun outsourcing your most intimate information.
Suppose you decide to buy a home. You complete all the paperwork and submit it and eventually, it lands on the desk of a title company employee. They process that paperwork and you get the loan and they insure that the loan or title to the property is authentic. So what happens to your intimate information? It must be safe, right? After all, it had your home address, signature, social security number, the name of your bank, and heck, your wife even signed with her maiden name included! Nope. It isn't secure.
The paperwork is recorded at your local register of deeds office and more than likely, they have established a business relationship with a data imaging company, for a profit. So not only does your local elected official place your full document image online for the world to see but so does the data imaging company, with your local clerk's blessing.
First American is one of the largest, if not the largest, title companies in America. But their business decision to utilize Data Tree certainly does not serve the best interest of Americans, who are their greatest source of business. In 1998, they purchased Data Tree, a database management and document imaging company.
"First American Data Tree is the nation's leading provider of online public land records and property data, offering a database of over 3 billion recorded property documents nationwide."
Now I put that in the form of a quote because it is. It comes straight from First American's proud website. Did you notice they boast over 3 billion recorded documents online, any time? One of those documents is probably yours.
This past weekend, the National Association of Land Title Examiners and Abstractors (NALTEA) met in San Diego for their annual winter conference. Their members are the folks who search the dusty courthouses, in person, to make sure your property is free and clear of defect before you buy. In a press release dated April 27, 2006, NALTEA publicly expressed "grave concerns" and opposed "the online publication of the public records due to the sensitive information the records often contain".
As a guest at the NALTEA conference this past weekend, First American Data Tree countered that concern by stating that they do everything they can to remain compliant with county recorders and will remove its public record data from the internet if the county recorders choose to remove access to their online databases.
Well now, let's just see about that.
According to their own website, they cover Oneida County in New York. After outrage by local citizens, the Oneida county clerk was ousted in the last election and replaced by Sandra DePerno, who promised to dismantle the online county websites. Within a week of her election, it was done.
So why is Oneida County still available on the First American Data Tree website, which was checked again just five minutes ago?
This is a classic case of big business biting the hand that feeds it. Welcoming you as a customer, then shoving you out the door to the world online. Taking your money, requiring you to purchase their insurance, then placing your most sensitive information out there for the world to view, and profit from it all.
Don't let them get away with it!
Write to Oneida County Clerk Sandra DePerno first to thank her for a job well done and a promise kept! Then ask her to remind Data Tree of their promise to remove that information. DePerno kept her promise. Make Data Tree keep theirs.
You can write to Ms. DePerno at:
countyclerk@ocgov.net
And if you'd like for us to check your records, visit www.findMyID.com
Unlike First American Data Tree, we're concerned about your privacy, and there is never a charge for our services.
Now I'll admit that I don't fully understand this complicated cycle but that isn't important to the story because even a child can understand what I'm about to tell you and any child can tell you it's wrong. Title companies are big business in America - and abroad, now that they've begun outsourcing your most intimate information.
Suppose you decide to buy a home. You complete all the paperwork and submit it and eventually, it lands on the desk of a title company employee. They process that paperwork and you get the loan and they insure that the loan or title to the property is authentic. So what happens to your intimate information? It must be safe, right? After all, it had your home address, signature, social security number, the name of your bank, and heck, your wife even signed with her maiden name included! Nope. It isn't secure.
The paperwork is recorded at your local register of deeds office and more than likely, they have established a business relationship with a data imaging company, for a profit. So not only does your local elected official place your full document image online for the world to see but so does the data imaging company, with your local clerk's blessing.
First American is one of the largest, if not the largest, title companies in America. But their business decision to utilize Data Tree certainly does not serve the best interest of Americans, who are their greatest source of business. In 1998, they purchased Data Tree, a database management and document imaging company.
"First American Data Tree is the nation's leading provider of online public land records and property data, offering a database of over 3 billion recorded property documents nationwide."
Now I put that in the form of a quote because it is. It comes straight from First American's proud website. Did you notice they boast over 3 billion recorded documents online, any time? One of those documents is probably yours.
This past weekend, the National Association of Land Title Examiners and Abstractors (NALTEA) met in San Diego for their annual winter conference. Their members are the folks who search the dusty courthouses, in person, to make sure your property is free and clear of defect before you buy. In a press release dated April 27, 2006, NALTEA publicly expressed "grave concerns" and opposed "the online publication of the public records due to the sensitive information the records often contain".
As a guest at the NALTEA conference this past weekend, First American Data Tree countered that concern by stating that they do everything they can to remain compliant with county recorders and will remove its public record data from the internet if the county recorders choose to remove access to their online databases.
Well now, let's just see about that.
According to their own website, they cover Oneida County in New York. After outrage by local citizens, the Oneida county clerk was ousted in the last election and replaced by Sandra DePerno, who promised to dismantle the online county websites. Within a week of her election, it was done.
So why is Oneida County still available on the First American Data Tree website, which was checked again just five minutes ago?
This is a classic case of big business biting the hand that feeds it. Welcoming you as a customer, then shoving you out the door to the world online. Taking your money, requiring you to purchase their insurance, then placing your most sensitive information out there for the world to view, and profit from it all.
Don't let them get away with it!
Write to Oneida County Clerk Sandra DePerno first to thank her for a job well done and a promise kept! Then ask her to remind Data Tree of their promise to remove that information. DePerno kept her promise. Make Data Tree keep theirs.
You can write to Ms. DePerno at:
countyclerk@ocgov.net
And if you'd like for us to check your records, visit www.findMyID.com
Unlike First American Data Tree, we're concerned about your privacy, and there is never a charge for our services.
posted by Happy at 10:50 PM
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